A member of the House of Representatives from Kebbi State, Salisu Garba Koko, has left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Koko, who represents Besse/Maiyama Federal Constituency, made his decision public through a letter addressed to the House. The Speaker, Abbas Tajudeen, read the letter during a House session. In the letter, Koko cited what he described as a “protracted crisis” within the PDP as the main reason for his defection.
His move comes just a day after another PDP lawmaker from Kaduna State, Amos Gwamna Magaji, also announced his exit from the party, giving a similar reason. The back-to-back defections have raised concerns about the stability of the PDP as the 2027 elections draw closer.
However, not everyone agrees with Koko’s reasoning. The House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, strongly rejected the claim of an ongoing crisis in the PDP. He argued that disagreements exist in all political parties, including the APC and the Labour Party (LP), and insisted that Koko’s statement painted a misleading picture of the party’s state.
Chinda further urged the Speaker to declare Koko’s seat vacant, citing constitutional provisions that require lawmakers who defect from their party without a clear division in the party to forfeit their seats.
In response, Speaker Tajudeen clarified that the House does not have the power to declare a member’s seat vacant. He stated that such decisions fall under the jurisdiction of the courts.
